290  Farm  Prize  Competition,  1909. 
noticeable  feature  is  the  care  and  tidiness  shown  all  round — 
the  accumulated  manure  in  the  yards  thrown  up  into  neat 
heaps  with  a layer  of  earth  over  the  top  of  each  ; the  liquid 
manure  from  the  yards  driven  to  the  meadows  by  means  of 
a rotary  pump  and  piping  ; complete  sets  of  machinery  for 
steam  cultivating,  threshing,  bone-crushing,  grinding,  pulping, 
&c.,  and  good  implements.  A suction  gas  plant  is  the  power 
used  for  driving  the  barn  machinery.  Bone-grinding,  thresh- 
ing, and  cultivating  machinery  is  driven  by  a Marshall 
steam  portable  engine. 
The  tenant  is  responsible  for  the  upkeep  of  the  buildings, 
ordinary  wear  and  tear  excepted,  being  allowed  material  and 
timber  in  the  rough.  He  is  also  responsible  in  the  same  way 
for  the  drainage,  fences,  gates,  and  four  cottages,  but  is  not 
responsible  for  the  farm  roads.  The  farm  is  provided  with 
four  cottages,  in  addition  to  which  Mr.  Hawkins  has  erected 
four  others  on  land  owned  by  himself. 
Book-keeping. — A complete  set  of  well-kept  books  was 
shown  to  the  Judges.  Mr.  Hawkins  was  thus  able,  and 
willing,  to  answer  any  question  concerning  the  finances  of 
his  farm,  and  to  indicate  exactly  the  amount  of  pi'ofit  arising 
from  any  branch  of  his  farming. 
Costs. — The  labourers  consist  of  seventeen  men  and  two 
boys,  a certain  amount  of  work  being  done  by  contract.  An 
average  wage  is  14s.  per  week  with  allowance  of  2 to  3 quarts 
of  cider  per  day  ; also  25s.  extra  for  harvest  with  some  food, 
and  400  yards  of  potato  ground  worth  about  10s.  Carters  have 
17s.  to  18s.  per  week  with  similar  perquisites,  and  occupy 
cottages  on  the  farm,  for  which  they  pay  2s.  per  week  rent. 
The  total  cost  of  labour  runs  about  750Z.  per  annum,  or  28s.  per 
acre,  and  the  result  shown  is  a credit  to  the  management. 
Piece  work  prices  paid  comprise  : hoeing  roots  (twice  over), 
10s.  per  acre  ; pulling  and  cleaning  roots,  10s.  to  11s.  per  acre  ; 
common  turnips.  Is.  per  acre  less;  reaping  by  hand,  12s. 
to  188.  per  acre  ; laying  hedges,  3s.  6c?.  to  5s.  6c?.  per  chain 
of  22  yards. 
Everything  on  this  farm  was  well  done — good  management 
and  personal  care  being  shown  in  each  detail.  Stock  generally 
good  ; crops  all  good  ; land  well  cultivated,  very  clean,  and  in 
good  heart  ; pastures  very  well  grazed  and  looking  in  good 
order ; hedges  and  ditches  neatly  kept  and  well  cleaned ; 
machinery  and  implements  up  to  modern  standards  and  well 
kept ; buildings  and  yards  neat  and  tidy;  well  kept  accounts  ; 
and  finally,  a good  return  shown  on  a large  capital  outlay. 
Class  5 was  a strong,  well-contested  class,  and  it  required 
a good  man  to  win,  but  Mr.  Hawkins’ farm  looked  like  winning 
right  through  and  succeeded  on  its  undoubted  all  round  merits. 
